


Lollipop, lollipop

by Madame_Klancealot



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Bilingual Lance (Voltron), Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Boys In Love, Cuban Lance (Voltron), Declarations Of Love, Falling In Love, First Love, Fluff and Angst, Friendship/Love, Gay Keith (Voltron), Heavy Angst, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Hurt Lance (Voltron), Idiots in Love, Keith & Lance (Voltron) are Neighbors, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Keith (Voltron) is a Mess, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) is a Mess, Lance (Voltron)-centric, M/M, POV Keith (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Sad, Sick Character, Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-17
Updated: 2019-06-17
Packaged: 2020-05-13 13:05:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,146
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19251787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madame_Klancealot/pseuds/Madame_Klancealot
Summary: Keith has received a heart shaped lollipop in the mail for the past 29 days, now it's time to finally find out who's been sending them to him.Lance has been diagnosed with a rare blood/bone disease and is bedridden and has nothing to do except pine for the boy next door whom his mother is keeping him locked away from...how to reach him though?





	Lollipop, lollipop

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO! This has been an ongoing drabble series that I have been posting on my drabble ig: voltronhasmys0ul and now it's done! So I am uploading the whole shebang here for you guys to read. 
> 
> It's gotten a positive feedback and I would love to hear your views on the story. And do give a follow or a glance at my account on IG if you want short drabbles and to follow my next drabble series. (It won't be as angsty as this one.) 
> 
> Thanks for reading, hope you like it. :)

Every morning the past month had been the same. Wake up, fight with his brother for using the bathroom too long, shower, get dressed then check the mail.

 

For the past month, Keith always ran outside the front door, before his mom could wake up, before his big brother could nag or tease him about a new knot in his long black hair. He ignored it all, he had to be the one to check the mail. Him, and only him.

 

As he sprinted out the front door hearing Shiro behind him shout “Keith, no one else is going to check the mail. No need to rush, sheesh. Mom, I’m hungry, what’s for breakfast?” He knew he needed to be the first one to open that lid. He had to be the one to open it.

 

It had become a dire situation, checking the mail. Keith pursed his lips and rolled his eyes knowing how ridiculous this whole situation had become, but this was something he looked forward to every morning. Checking the mail had become something of purpose.

 

He stood before their red mailbox, glancing to the side in a quick motion to catch a bright blue one in front of their neighbor’s house. For some reason, Keith thought their mailbox had a sad story behind it, looking rusty, the blue paint almost chipped off. He found it weird that the neighbors, who recently moved in a month ago, didn’t do anything to change it. They could look at it as a fresh start in a new town, but what did Keith know, he still hadn’t met them.

 

In the distance of his neighbor’s house he saw a little boy staring from the window. He had brown hair, and a cute button nose and Keith could spot all the way from the driveway that he was splattered with freckles all over his cute face. He held a hand up in greeting, but the little boy quickly closed the curtain.

 

“Okay, odd.” Keith shook the boy ignoring him away.

 

His fingers had a slight tingle of anticipation as his thumb and forefinger reached for the handle and pulled the lid down. And there was one resting inside. Just as he had hoped. Like every other morning, a single red heart-shaped lollipop laid lonely in their mailbox, and Keith wanted to think it was meant for him.

 

Warmth bloomed in his cheeks as he grabbed the white stick attached to its heart-shaped candy of joy, and he dragged it close to his face, curling his lips with delight. “Who keeps sending you?” He whispered to the candy.

“Another one? What, this is like the 20th one you’ve got till now.” Keith turned on his heel in the kitchen to find Shiro digging into eggs and bacon, their mother reading the morning newspaper sipping her coffee.

 

“29..” Keith corrected him.

 

“Do you have a secret admirer, hun?” His mother made a teasing grin at her youngest son, Shiro copying said grin.

 

“Shut up! These have to be for me, and they keep on coming. I bet there’ll be another one tomorrow.” Keith had a hopeful tone in his voice, staring fondly at the sugared heart.

 

He didn’t eat the lollipops because he was stupidly, he was diabetic. One lollipop couldn’t kill him or anything, but the thought of taking a shot to his thigh just for a heart shaped candy that could also ruin his teeth wasn’t appetizing, but they were nice to look at and he was starting to have a nice collection on his dresser now.

 

“Who could be putting them in our mailbox? Like it has to be someone close by?” Keith threw the question out in the air. Finally deciding to get to the bottom of this lollipop mystery. He felt like a Nancy Drew novel: _Case of the lollipop invasion,_ he’d title the book.

 

Shiro had his mouth full of bacon. “I dunno, I heard a rumor that the new neighbors have a son your age, but haven’t seen a kid your age outside their house..why don’t you go ring on their doorbell?” His mother hummed an approval, taking a new sip of her coffee, checking her watch.

 

“Shit, I need to run. I need to ruuuun.” She sang off key. “Honey, I think that would be a great idea, listen to your brother. And be nice to the neighbors, tell them we’re sorry we still haven’t talked to them, the hospital has been hectic the last month...I’ll bring them my famous lasagna when my night-shifts end. Kay, bye love you two.” She blew them three kisses and slammed the door on her way out.

 

Keith heard his brother behind him rummage through the dishes. “Well?”

 

“Well what?” Keith’s cheeks were prickling knowing he had to go talk to their new neighbors, and Keith hated meeting new people with a fiery passion. Seriously, he could write a whole novel about his social anxiety and how much he hated people.

 

“Go!”

 

“But...do I have to? Can’t this just stay a mystery. I like the excitement of not knowing who’s sending these treats, Shiro…”

 

Shiro let out a tired groan, shaking his head at his little brother. “Dude..you’re 16...don’t be a kid. Now get going. I’m kinda excited to see if I was right, and to see if they really do have a kid your age...they sure hide him well.”

 

“Maybe he hates people, too.” Keith countered mockingly.

 

“Then you two would be a perfect match!” Shiro winked, his cat-eye doing that perfect bounce on his eyelid.

 

Keith’s cheeks reddened at the remark. “Shut up...I’m going, I’m going.”

 

“Good luuuuuck.” Shiro sang like their mother.

 

* * *

 

 

“Hola! Ahh, who do we have here- aren’t you that nice boy who takes out the trash every night?” A nice tan lady with thick brown hair opened the door looking pleased at Keith.

 

“Hi. I’m Keith..er. Keith Kogane. I’m - we’re your neighbors.” He pointed to his house, the lady following his finger.

 

She smiled. “I see. Were you wondering about something querido? I need to drive my -”

 

“Abuela, Abuela! Look what Nadia did to my spider-man pencil case, it’s ruined!” The little boy from the window stuck his tongue out to the little tan girl with golden hair hiding behind her Abuela’s leg.

 

“It’s bedazzled, Sylvio. You need a little sparkle in your life!” The golden haired girl stuck her tongue back to the boy, sticking it out even more than him, both eyes forced shut.

 

The lady looked fed up, but also like she was used to their bickering. “Grandkids…” She murmured to Keith, winking a blue-green eye at him.

 

Nervously, Keith smacked his lips, then held his hand up for a second time at the little freckled boy. He looked like a constellation, Keith thought. Stars were always important to him, reminding him of his dad. “My ma..she...said- forced me over here to say hi and to apologize that we haven’t properly welcomed you to the neighborhood. You see, she’s a nurse, and works night shifts and sleeps in the day, usually…” He swallowed, still nervous about asking about the lollipops.

 

Maybe they didn’t come from the neighbors. Someone could be playing a prank on him. Like Pidge or Hunk. It would be just like them to eff with Keith like this. Well, not Hunk, the lollipops would be half-eaten before they even reached the mailbox.  Pidge on the other hand, she would have basked in Keith’s hopefulness.

 

Shiro’s face passed through his mind. He’d call him names if he didn’t get to the bottom of this. Keith had been nagging at him all month about these lollipops. Where they came from. Why their mailbox. Why lollipops. And Keith had decided they were to him, not Shiro, or his mom, him. He wanted them to be for him. Why. He wasn’t sure, but he wanted them to be.

 

“I’m sorry for bothering you so early...my brother. He told me that you might have a son my age, and- I dunno, just wanted to ask if he’d like to hitch a ride with us to school?” Keith put on his best smile, or so he thought since working up a convincing smile was too much effort in his opinion. A small grin formed on his face instead, and the tan woman swept her grandchildren away from the front door until she was alone with Keith.

 

With a stern face, the woman only looked at Keith. “I’m sorry you thought that. Might have been a rumor.” She chuckled, but it seemed forced. “Our home rooms many, but I only have one son, querido and it’s my grandchildren’s father. No one else..”

 

She could read Keith’s disappointed face. “Querido. Go home, you’ll be late for school. If your mother ever wants to say hi, have her call us. We too are very busy people. It was nice to meet you though.”

 

Before the door closed on his face, Keith heard one of the little kids shout a name, a name that sparked a strike in his gut. How the sound of someone's name could jolt him was on him, but he liked the sound of the name, but he knew it had to belong to their father...although. Who called their father by their first name?

 

Keith shook away the thought.

 

With his hand on the handle of his front door, Keith felt a new pang. Like this couldn’t be the end of his lollipop mystery. There had to be more to it. He’d have to wait until the next morning. If a new lollipop lay there, then he’ll take it as a sign. If the mailbox comes up empty, he’ll still take it as a sign. Because. Because someone was doing this. And Keith was determined to get to the bottom of this. Sweet tooth or no.

 

Before he opened the door, his eyes shot back to his neighbor’s home. In the window, the little boy was back, and he was wearing a smile.

* * *

 

“Mamá!” Lance was curious. His phone in his right hand, laptop plopped on the covers resting on his chest. Bed soft. Room clean, a little too clean, smelling like a hospital. “Mamá!” He tried again.

 

“Si, mi hijo!?” His mamá ushered into the room like someone was being killed.

 

Lance hated when his mother was like this. Ever since he was diagnosed, she had been a wreck. An unstable emotional wreck to be exact. Always on his every watch. Even on his cellphone, which he hated. Luckily, he had the best sisters in the world who were able to buy a second phone for him to use, one his mother knew nothing about.

 

The days gradually became longer and longer, the more he had to be cooped up in the new house. He felt like a prisoner, knowing he’d be too weak to even stand up on his own. He knew he would die one day. Everyone will, he thought. But it could be a matter of time before Lance would kick the bucket. Unless. Unless the cure worked on him.

 

His doctor had said he would have at least a year to live. This was the day he found out he was sick. Four months ago, his twin sister Rachel found him out cold on the bathroom floor. Not remembering a single thing from that day, they took him to the hospital only to learn he had a rare disease coursing through his veins.

 

Tears. So many tears were shed that day. His mama, papa, Luis, Rachel, Ronnie; not the little kids, Sylvio and Nadia, they were at home with their mother. They would learn the news later, and it took them days to finally understand Lance’s situation.

 

Conceivably, there might be a way for Lance to survive. An operation. A 40% chance to live a long and healthy life. But like the doctor said, it was a risk. He could survive the operation successfully, or he will die on the operating table, there was no inbetween. Life or death, roll the die. Literally

So, in the end, his family moved to a new town a month ago. Mostly because his doctor was closer, and he could come by the house and do tests on Lance and give him the correct medication until the day he would have to decide if he wanted to take those chances. Live or die. The choice is yours. Sounds like a soap opera drama, but this is what had become of his life, his lucky draw.

 

“Who was at the door?” Lance asked suspiciously.

 

They never had visitors. Specially this early in the morning. He was hoping, maybe, maybe someone finally took the hint. He could finally commence step two in his plan.

 

“No one, mi hijo. Someone had gotten our mail and gave it back to us. Nice boy.” She smiled softly to her son, the hurt in her eyes still present despite her loving presence. “It’s still early, mi hijo. Close the laptop and sleep a bit more, it’ll help your body.”

 

_Will it though?_

 

He nodded just to stop her nagging, and she kissed her son on the crown of his brunet head, leaving his room with a sad smile. Sylvio snuck in when the coast was clear.

 

“Well?” Lance pressed his nephew.

 

Without letting loose a single word. All he did was give his uncle a thumbs up. That was enough information to commence phase two. Finally, after having to move from his friends and live like a hermit the last month, he might finally be able to have a friend here.

 

Lance pulled the drawer from his night stand where he threw all of his lollipops, and fished one out and a small yellow post - it note. He scribbled something on the note, folded it neatly and taped it to the white stick on the lollipop.

 

“You know what to do tonight.” Lance smirked.

 

His little nephew smiled brightly.

* * *

 

Keith was on autopilot when he woke up the next morning. Wake up, fight, shower, dress, then run like the wind to the mailbox.

 

At first sight of his mailbox, he was hesitant. What if yesterday’s lollipop was the last one? Now that he had interrogated his friends at school, being laughed at all in the same since they thought it was kind of ridiculous, although sweet. (No pun intended.) And Hunk thought it was a trick from a serial killer. All that went through Keith’s mind last night thinking what if this was it?

 

No more lollipops. Never getting to the bottom of this mystery. It was all a trick with no message, no meaning.

 

Keith refused to believe that and opened the mailbox.

 

Relief washed over Keith when he spotted the familiar red color and heart shaped candy. Except. Except the white stick was yellow. No. There was something attached to the stick.

 

Keith grabbed the lollipop, put it in his pocket and went back inside.

 

His brother was busy eating his breakfast. Cereal this time since their mother was sleeping off the double shift she had the previous day, and his brother was lazy in the mornings.

 

“So…”  Shiro started ready to take a new bite of his cereal.

 

Keith was unsure what to tell him. Now that there was a note being played into all of the this, Keith felt the need to keep this to himself.

 

He did what he had to do. “Nothing...it’s stopped. Maybe it was a monthly thing mom signed up for without knowing it. You know how she is with a computer…” Keith saved.

 

Shiro made an understanding face, going along with Keith’s explanation. “That’s plausible. Too bad they weren’t actually for you. I was rooting for you to figure out this mystery. Heck, maybe you would have ended up in love or something.”

 

That did it. “Oh my God...I’m not even thinking about love you loof! Stop turning everything into a cliché. I’m going to my room.”

 

“Adam’s going to be here in 15! Don’t fall asleep!” He heard Shiro call as he went back to his room.

 

He pulled out the lollipop from his pocket, and unwrapped the note from the stick carefully, making sure the tape didn’t ruin the message inside

 

The anticipation was skyrocketing in Keith’s chest. He could feel his breathing growing heavier, and his toes curling, itching to know what was inside the note. “Please don’t be a serial killer, please don’t be a serial killer…” He muttered while he unfolded the note and found.

 

“A phone number?”

* * *

 

**08:43AM Keith: Are you the keeper of the red heart-shaped lollipops?**

 

**11:26AM Unknown number: Si. ;P**

* * *

 

Keith wasn't sure if he wanted to go cryptic with his text or go straight to the bat and just ask straight up.

 

He went with a mix of both, but he grimaced at his text thinking he sounded like a pirate or that he was part of a Liam Neeson movie.

 

All day during school he couldn't stop checking his phone. It was getting on someone's nerves.

 

"Keith! Why are you checking your phone every ten seconds. I understand that we're gen Z, but damn. Calm your thumbs." Pidge sounded irritated, picking up her own phone finding Fruit Ninja. Swiping like crazy.

 

Hunk licked his fingers. "Yeah man, looks like you're waiting for a text from a hot date. You know we're not old enough to swipe right." A loud chuckle followed his voice.

 

Keith felt his annoyance bubbling in his veins, but he understood how annoying he might be to his best friends and put his phone face down so that he didn't have to stare at that black mirror through the rest of lunch.

 

The table vibrated.

 

Keith saw Hunk and Pidge dart their eyes to his phone, then dart them back up to him staring hard at his phone. There was a silent conversation going on and the prickles in Keith's fingertips lived their own life when he snatched his phone back from the table.

 

A reply. The lollipop holder replied. _Si. ;P_

 

The emoji had to mean this was someone their age, or close to their age at least. Keith hoped.

 

"Hot date?" Hunk sounded smug, fist bumping Pidge.

 

Keith ignored Hunk and felt the corners of his lips tilt up still staring at the one word message. "Sorry, dude. You say something?"

 

Pidge and Hunk gave each other a look. "Nope." They said in unison.

* * *

 

Lance spread his lips into a smile when he opened the secret phone after his nap. He took the bait. His plan was working. The neighbor boy sent a text. Now all Lance had to do was think of a way to start a conversation that didn't include the words: _sick, dying or operation_.

 

He felt his insides squirm at the thought of losing another friend due to his illness. It was hard enough to say goodbye to his friends at his old home, and now that his mother forbid him to even have a sliver of a social life, he felt desperate.

 

When they moved in to the new house a month ago. Lance caught a quick glance at their neighbors when they drove in to their driveway. He was stronger a month ago, able to walk on his own, no need to use his crutches or the wheelchair. Before he walked into their new house, he caught the sight of his neighbors pouring out of their red car.

 

He couldn’t put words into what he saw when he caught the sight of a fair skinned boy who looked his age. His black hair long, touching past his shoulders, looking soft like he wanted to glide his fingers through it just to see if it were as soft as it looked. Then when the boy turned to look at Lance’s family, he felt his heart stop beating. He seriously thought that judgement day had come and death was ready to reap his soul.

 

When he caught his breath, the boy smiled to his brother and that did it. Lance had to get inside or else he would convulse and his illness would reach him and there would be no going back.

 

Ever since that day, over a month ago, Lance needed to have him in his life. One way or another. Not that he was in love or anything. When one was close to dying, love would become problematic. But, at least have a friend in his life. Someone who wasn’t family. Someone who wasn’t a little kid at the age of 9 talking to him day in and day out about Spider Man. Even though Lance did love Spider Man, but Sylvio could be a bit much and a tad over excited when the topic ever came up. Which was, all. the. time.

 

That was when the lollipops came into action. His doctor did check ups on Lance every other day. And Lance hated hard candy, they made his teeth hurt and the artificial flavor only reminded him of the fake cleanliness of hospitals. But, after every check up his doctor would reward him with a red heart shaped lollipop and they would be nestled up in the drawer of his night stand.

 

Sylvio came up with the idea. That little boy genius. Lance had been sighing one afternoon thinking about the fair skinned, black haired boy and how much he wanted to be his friend, to catch his attention without his mamá coming on to him and forbidding him to ever talk to the boy.

 

Sylvio had heard his wallowing and suggested to put a lollipop in their mailbox. He had seen the boy check their mailbox once one morning, and thought if he kept on getting lollipops every morning he might become curious and take the hint to find out where they came from.

 

And that was that. His little nephew was a freaking genius, because boy golly did it work. He could talk all he wanted about Spider Man because Lance was going to make a friend.

 

At least he hoped so.

 

* * *

 

Once school was over, and dinner out of the way, Keith charged to his room to pull out his phone and continue this mystery of the lollipops.

 

He looked at the reply and thought about a conversation starter, something that wouldn't make things awkward.

 

Then it hit him.

 

**8:09PM Keith: Nice :) Can I ask you another question?**

 

**8:13PM Unknown number: Shoot. ^^**

 

Keith stared at the text. Wondering if the name he heard yesterday morning belonged to the lollipop holder, and if he should just take a shot and ask without being cryptic this time. He felt his fingers tapping the screen on their own, still not being present in his brain. All of this was getting to his head. What did he think he would get out of this?

 

**8:18PM Keith: Are you a serial killer?**

 

Okay. So Hunk’s suggestion kind of stayed stuck in Keith’s mind all day, and he just wanted to know. But wouldn’t a serial killer not admit they were a serial killer? Keith felt dumb, hitting the heel of his palm on his forehead many times after have already hit send.

 

**8:23PM Unknown number: You bet! I kill all kinds of cereal. Lucky Charms, Trix, Cheerios. You name it, I’ll devour it. ;P**

 

Keith rolled his eyes. If this text didn’t confirm the lollipop holder was a teenager, then he didn’t know what would. He felt a whole ocean of relief wash over him, and kept on with his texting spree. Now that Shiro was at Adam’s place and his mother on her night shift, Keith could feel relaxed and dare himself to ask certain questions bubbling in his gut. Asking the whos, the whys, the hows, the whens.

 

**8:27PM Keith: Okay, new question…Are you a boy or a girl? And how old are you?**

 

**8:28PM Unknown number: That’s two questions...what do want me to be? And I’m 15..I turn sixteen in July. Hbu? :)**

 

Younger than Keith. He felt a smile tug on his lips, liking that he was this person’s senior. He could show the person all about life being almost a year older. Keith felt glad. They were in the same grade. Only problem was, who was this person and why haven’t they met at school? Or did they meet at school and the person was playing with him? He wasn’t cut out being played with, it would not bode well with his social anxiety.

 

What did he want the person to be? He wanted the person to be his neighbor, that would make a lot of sense and clear a lot of suspicions. Still, after talking to the somewhat nice but suspicious neighbor lady who meant she didn’t have a son his age, he was sure there was something more behind her words. Something she was hiding, and it had to be a 15 year old boy. But why?

 

**8:35PM Keith: Boy? I’m 16, I turn 17 in October. This might be out of the blue, but is your name by any chance Lance?**

* * *

 

 

Lance felt shivers ride up and down his spine like that ride at Disneyland. The one he wished he could take one last time before- He shook his head rapidly and stared at the message by the boy next door. It had to be a sign, or Sylvio might have just told him his name. But still, why be so cryptic with these questions?

 

“Sylvio!” He shouted, knowing the little kids hadn’t gone to bed yet. Mamá had been busy all day preparing for Ronnie’s wedding.

 

His eldest sister Ronnie was getting married, and they wanted to have the ceremony before Lance had to decide on an operation or not, and that was still two months away. Still, there was so much to plan and his mother and sisters were so enraptured by all the wedding stuff, he knew they would forget to put the little kids to bed.

 

“Yeah Uncle?” Sylvio was wearing Spider Man everything. Blue pants, a T-shirt with a print of Spider Man and Venom on it, and even a cap that had the Spider Man logo on it.

 

“He knows my name!?” He held the phone out to his nephew.

 

Silvio took the phone and scrolled through their conversation. “Cereal killer, nice.” He giggled, giving the phone back to Lance. “I dunno, he might have hear me or Nadia shout your name before Abuela shooed him away.”

 

Lance coughed a few deep heaves, hating his illness killing him slowly but surely and went back to his phone. “Okay, cool. Do not let mamá know about this, capiche? And never, ever tell Nadia, she’ll blurt to the whole entire universe.”

 

“Uncle Lance. This was all _my_ master plan. I’m not going to spoil it. I want you to be happy. You can count on me, your friendly neighborhood-”

 

Lance threw a big white pillow at his nephew and told him to get out, but to send him a text when mamá neared his room.

 

**9:12PM Lance: Yeah...that’s my name. How did you know? You just that good at guessing? Or could it be like your favorite name and you wanted me to have it. Because I do. ;* Okay, you have my name. Now I need yours.**

 

**9:15PM Unknown number: Keith :)**

 

Finally, they were on a first name basis. Now the real questions could start.

 

**9:16PM Lance: I like that name. Do you have any hobbies? Like gaming, or reading, writing, collecting? ;)**

 

Lance felt like a little daredevil typing and typing on his phone scared that his mama would barge into his room and grab his phone and throw it out the window. Throw Keith out the window. No. He needed this. If she was going to keep him here until the day he died, then he’ll have it his way.

 

**9:18PM Keith: Thanks. I like yours too. I heard one of those little kids in your house, the boy with the freckles say your name before your mother shut the door in my face. I like reading, and gaming. I do collect some things. Like lollipops. ;) Can I get a picture of you? If it’s not too forward?**

 

What is air? Lance’s lungs had lost their function when his blue eyes traced the text over and over again. A picture? No problem. But, does he send one of him in the state he is now or does he find an older picture, one from before he was diagnosed?

 

He decided to go for the truth. If he wanted to be friends with this boy, he would have to see the real Lance. He didn’t look too different compared to four months ago when he blacked out in the bathroom. His cheeks were more sunken in because food had become disgusting. The irises in his eyes were more dull because of lack of sleep and the nightmares. He had gotten thinner, but he still looked strong when he leaned on his crutches. His muscles were still there, his stomach always flat and his legs always thin. Nothing’s changed really, just the inside. The inside was changed. And it was killing him.

 

He held his phone up to his face, trying to get the perfect selfie. _Don’t try to be sexy.._ He scoffed at how ridiculous that sounded in his head knowing it was kind of impossible in the state he was in. The phone snapped a photo and Lance thought it would have to be good enough. He was in his bed with an enormous pillow caging his head, but he didn’t see anything else wrong with it when he attached it to his next text to Keith.

 

**9:30PM Lance: Here’s my face, don’t swoon too much over it! :P Now send me a pic. of you Keith. Pleease, with lots of sugar on top??**

 

Minutes had passed and still no picture. Lance was worried that Keith was disappointed by the pic, but this wasn’t supposed to be flirting. He wanted a friend and it helped picturing who you’re texting with. Alas, his phone vibrated and there was a pic attached to it. Lance felt his heart do a triple axle leap.

 

Keith’s picture could have been the cure to his disease because Lance couldn’t look away at how gorgeous the boy next door looked. _Don’t fall in love, don’t fall in love…_.He recited in his head. Falling in love meant trouble. Falling in love meant getting hurt. And he was hurt enough.

 

A new text chimed in.

 

**9:35PM Keith: Lance...are you sick?**

* * *

 

 

Keith’s chest was doing jumping jacks, his stomach was harboring butterflies fluttering like crazy when the photo revealed itself on his phone. Thank god his brother and mother were not home because he straight up gasped out loud when he took in what Lance looked like.

 

All he could focus on were those eyes. Bluer than the ocean, than the sky, than anything he had ever seen in his entire life. He wanted to name that blue: Lance. Because no one else on the entire planet would have eyes like his.

 

As he was too enraptured by Lance’s blue eyes, he noticed something oddly peculiar from the picture. His head was resting on a large white fluffy pillow, his wicked smile shining with blindingly white teeth and a slender nose filled with freckles like the little boy, it was all Keith wanted to look at but his coal eyes caught something else in the photo.

 

“Is that a heart monitor?” He whispered, zooming in on the photo trying to figure out what he was looking at.

 

It would all make sense, why Keith hadn’t seen a boy his age outside their house. Why his mother was hesitant to answer Keith and quickly rejected even having a son his age. She was protecting him. Man, it all made so much sense. Lance had to be sick. But how bad was it?

 

A new text chimed in.

 

**9:40PM Lance: You saw it, huh? I was too focused on checking myself out in the pic to even see the heart monitor. Guess the cat’s out of the bag. Yeah, I’m sick. It’s pretty bad, too.**

 

Keith felt the hard thump of his heart hammering in his chest. Lance was sick, and it was bad. But how bad, like is he going to die? Keith almost felt like crying and he didn’t even know this boy. Would it be too mean to ask?

 

He didn’t think and tapped the number, pressing call. He held the phone close to his ear hearing the faint familiar ring, waiting…

 

“Hey..I can’t talk long. Mamá, if she sees me talking on the phone, she’ll want to know who it is and take my phone, throw it out the window...then it’s bye bye you. Bye bye even having a shot at gaining a new friend…”

 

Lance sounded restless on the phone. But all Keith could focus on was the sound of his voice, and how happy it made him to hear it.

 

He smiled. “It’s okay, we can go back to texting if that helps?”

 

“Nonsense, we’re safe at the moment. My nephew’s on lookout. I like to say we have at least ten minutes to chat. Hi, by the way.” Lance snickered, and Keith smiled even wider.

 

"Hey.." Keith wanted to pretend Lance was smiling too.

 

"I'm smiling, are you smiling. Keith?"

 

It was like Lance was reading his mind. Like this conversation was bound to happen. Two boys. Neighbors, but worlds apart. Only a phone to keep them close. Keith was smiling, but now he felt like crying.

 

"How bad is it, Lance?" Said Keith, his voice hard to make out. He was trying to hold back a sniffle or a sad sigh, but he knew Lance could read the tone of his voice. "Tell me what you can.."

 

He heard Lance drag in a deep breath. He exhaled loudly through the phone. "Where to start. Man kinda funny I'm going to tell you all of this since we hardly know each other, but I'm in desperate need of a friend...And you- Anyways.. " Lance broke out in a painful cough, wheezing for his life. "Fuck. Sorry...diseases.."

 

Keith didn’t know how to react to Lance’s nonchalant voice. When someone was seriously ill, usually they would kid about it, but that was their right. If they were going to die sooner than anticipated, sooner than planned, then everything in their life sort of lost purpose. Keith didn’t want to be a loss of meaning. He wanted to become a purpose for Lance. Someone who could brighten up his gloomy days. Someone who could be the reason why his smile stayed on his face. Keith wanted to become purpose.

 

“It’s okay, Lance...do you still have time to talk? Or do want to text this. I understand if this can be hard to-”

 

“No! Please, stay on the phone. You have no idea how nice it is to hear a new voice. Someone who isn’t my family or my doctor. Someone who makes me want to stay awake.”

 

And that did it. The tears Keith knew were threatening to rise behind his eyes, they fell, and boy did they fall. Ridiculous. He’s known Lance in a span of an hour, and now he was crying his eyes out.

 

“Keith? Sounds like you’re crying...I haven’t even started talking about this. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Lance choked back a chuckle, he didn’t want to be mean.

 

Keith laughed. “I’m fine. Go on.”

 

There was a pause. Keith’s heart made a pause.

 

“Sorry. I thought I heard mamá. We´re good. So. How to begin. Four months ago, I blacked out in my bathroom. Then I woke up in the hospital and they had taken a lot of tests on me. A week later I was diagnosed with this rare blood/bone disease, I can’t pronounce the name..I was told that I would become weaker and weaker as time went by, and that..”

 

He made a new pause. Keith could hear him swallowing knowing harsh words were to come.

 

“That I would only have a year left. Keith don’t cry, you’re going to make me cry. I’ve finally gained a new friend, someone to talk to. Come on let me continue…”

 

“Go on. Let me cry, this is sad Lance. Someone has to shed some tears here.”

 

“My doctor told me a month in that there was a chance to beat the disease. An operation. But.”

 

“But?”

 

“There’s only a 40% chance of surviving it. In about two months I can decide if I want to do the operation, but there might be a draw back if I say yes.”

 

Keith couldn’t feel his face. Everything started to go numb. “What can happen if you say yes?”

 

“If I say yes. The operation can be successful and I live a long, healthy life...but. If it fails, I die on the operating table. There’s no inbetween, Keith. I either live or, I die.”

* * *

 

 

The line went silent. Lance could feel Keith’s sadness through the sound of his breathing.

 

“Keith, say something..”

 

“You. You have to do it!” Keith forced out through a choked sob.

 

Surprise flashed on Lance, the phone almost falling out of his hand. _Do it._ No one has ever told him what to choose. It had always been his decision. His family, they haven’t been able to make a decision. His mamá, it was quite clear what she wanted. She had said so once when Lance was _sleeping_. She stood before his bed and discussed with his papá that she didn’t want him to take the operation. That she wanted him to live his life fully throughout the year instead of having such a large risk of dying in two months. But, it wasn’t her decision to make.

 

It was his.

 

He let out an amused breath. “You’re the first one to tell me that.”

 

Keith let out the same sharp breath. “Really?”

 

“Yeah..my mamá she wants me to live out the year..she’s scared I’m going to die on the operating table...it would be too soon to die, but the chances. What if I live?”

 

“I know right...we can talk about something else now, Lance. If this is too depressing. The lollipops..”

 

The lollipops. Finally. “Yeah. So my doctor thinks he’s such a chap giving me lollipops after every fucking check up letting me know that I’m not getting better, but still have a shot at the operation when the time comes. He doesn’t think a lollipop can cure someone’s depression..I stash them away when he gives me one. I hate hard candy...and when I saw you the first day we moved in I-”

 

“Yeah?”

 

Lance felt his chest warm, smiling softly feeling a slight jittery happiness that he hadn’t felt in a long time. “I just knew I had to get to know you.”

 

“Then why didn’t you come over, or send one of your little minions?” They both laughed at that. Lance could easily get used to Keith’s warm laugh.

 

“Mamá, she’s like the big bad wolf in this scenario. Overprotective. Scared shitless that I’ll become even more depressed because making a friend and knowing I’ll lose them will make me want to kill myself. News flash, I’m already dying. Sorry. There’s only so much you can joke about when you’re bedridden 24/7.”

 

“It’s okay..So she forbids you to have any friends. Like for the whole year!? Have you not been outside even once?”

 

“Sure. I’ve been outside, plenty of times. But it’s either on my porch to soak up some vitamin D, or we drive to the beach where no one knows me. I think I’d go insane if I had to stay in here every waking hour. Good thing my lollipops got to you. I’m happy..Keith. They were always meant for you, just took you long enough to finally take the next leap.”

 

“Sorry it took so long. I was scared it might be a stalker or a serial killer. Turns out it was just a Cereal Killer.” He snickered.

 

“I’m glad this went well, Keith. But, I’m only looking for friend okay.”

 

Keith made a puzzling hum. “I don’t know where you’re going with this...It sounds like you think I’m going to fall in love with you.” A laugh finally found his throat. Lance’s stomach fluttered rapidly at the sound.

 

“You seen that movie - _A Walk to Remember_?”

 

“I think so, yeah…”

 

“In the movie the boy falls in love with the sick girl, they get married and in the end she dies. I don’t want that, Keith. I don’t want to hurt you like that.”

 

“You’re still going to hurt me so why can’t I fall in love, er- not that I’m going to, but it would be nice to have the option.”

 

“Because love intensifies the hurt...and you don’t deserve that. But, I’m choosing to be selfish and I want you as my friend at least and I’m sorry for forcing you to be my friend, but I need this. I need to feel alive.”

 

He could hear a new sob come from Keith. “Alright. I won’t fall in love with you.”

 

“Promise?”

 

“Yeah...yeah, it’s a promise…”

 

His phone vibrated in his ear. “Shit.”

 

“What?”

 

“I need to go..it was nice to finally chat with you. Same time tomorrow?”

 

“Yes. I look forward to it.” The sadness in his voice was still present, but the main issue was out of the way, a calm happiness taking over now.

 

Lance wanted to jump on his feet and do twirls, but a new smile was enough to paint a happy picture.

* * *

 

 

A whole week passed by and Keith was hooked on his new friend. They talked every evening, and when they weren’t talking, they were texting. He couldn’t get enough. Lance had slid perfectly in like he was a part of his life’s puzzle all along.  

 

He felt like he knew everything about Lance already a week in. His favorite movie: Transformers. His favorite color: Green. His favorite song: Oops I did it again.

 

Lance was revolving around Keith like a planet, and he had become the stars. His constellation, and he wanted to shine bright on the gloomy days that encompassed Lance.

 

The talking on the phone was alright. Hearing his voice every night before bed had become a sort of drug now. He was addicted to Lance’s voice, wanting to press record just to savour it when the time came.

 

His eyes watered at the thought. He remembered the new boy in his life was dying. In less than a year.

 

If Lance didn’t take the operation, then Keith needed something from him. He needed to touch him. He needed to see him in person. His voice wasn’t enough. A picture of him wasn’t enough. But, he knew it would be a long shot. Lance’s mamá, she didn’t know about their friendship, and shouldn’t know either or else she’d cut Keith out of Lance’s life the moment she caught on to them.

 

Still, there was another possibility. It was late, just about time call him.

 

He hit call. “Keith! Nice to hear from you. Anything happen at school today? Did Pidge say something smart? Did Hunk find a new candy bar to taste? Man I wish I could get to know these guys, they sound like my kind of people. Your brother and his boyfriend too.”

 

Keith could hear the envy in Lance’s voice. How much he wished to have a normal life again. Being able to chat with friends. Go out to the movies or play soccer on a green field.

 

A month and a half. That’s how long there was left until the final decision. Time was speeding up now that Keith had found a new addiction. And he didn’t want a cure. Not for himself at least, but a cure for his new friend. Yes, please, as long as he doesn’t die.

 

“Hey, man. Good to hear your voice again. I missed...I missed you.” It was the first time Keith admitted that. He promised not to fall in love with his new friend, but his heart was feeling something else. And he couldn’t put his tongue on it quite yet. But the more he got to know Lance, the closer he felt. The more his heart tugged towards him, and it was hurting.

 

Keith wanted to think Lance was smiling, that he was glad Keith told him he missed him. “Remember the promise.”

 

“I promise if you promise.”

 

Lance kept quiet. “I want to see your face again. I’m sick of that photo you sent me, I need a new one. Wait- that came out wrong...I know I am sick, but and I like your picture a lot, but-”

 

“Lance! I got it...hold on.” He chuckled.  

 

Keith held out his phone, finding the camera app. He was shirtless, had just taken a long, warm shower, trying hard not to think about a dying boy his age. He was too lazy to find a shirt, and it was getting really hot outside, so he went with the flow and took a snap of himself bare chested. Then hit send.

 

His heart was beating rapidly, like a roller coaster threatening not to hit the brakes. It was like he intended to snap himself without a t-shirt, like he wanted Lance to see him, and feel something. He wanted, he desired whole-heartedly to flirt with him.

 

“Holy fuck, Keith...don’t send that kind of picture! I might have a heart attack.”

 

He hit a home run, and his smile couldn’t relax. “What..it’s so hot and I just showered. And I’m too lazy to get out of my bed and find a t-shirt...now send me a photo.” He commanded, and prayed to every living deity that Lance was topless too.

 

“Yeah, one sec.” He heard some shuffling, then a groan, and then the sound of a camera snap.

 

He opened the picture, and holy Hades.

 

Lance was giving him the peace sign, wearing that wicked grin Keith grew fond of, and he too, was topless and damn...he didn't look sick at all. No. He looked delicious, Keith thought. And now he felt bad thinking inappropriate thoughts about his new friend, who was sick, and dying all the same.

 

“Do I look good, or do I look good? At least for a sick dude….” Lance made a chuckle.

 

Keith had to cross his legs on his bed, thinking about his grandmother, or his math teacher, both women and women did nothing to Keith, therefore the thinking of women.

 

“Maybe sending pics was a bad idea..” He said, still looking at the photo of topless Lance, regretting what he had just said. He was over the moon.

 

“Why..can’t take how hot I am?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

“Oh.. _oooh,_ well I’ll be damned. Keith Kogane, you _are_ breaking your promise…” He didn’t know if Lance was teasing him or if he was serious.

 

Keith kept still. Because he was right. It had only been a week, but Keith was smitten like a kitten. Lance McClain had wiggled his way into his life, and he wanted more, more, more.

 

“Lance?”

 

“Yes, Breaker of Promises.”

 

“I want to see you.”

 

“Huh, we can skype if you wanna?”

 

“We can do that too, but I want to see you, see you. I want to touch you, I want my hand pressed firmly to your cheek. I want my arms wrapped around your waist. I want my lips…”

 

He was crying again, because he had no idea how much he really wanted this, until this very moment. Because he knew Lance was going to die, and if he couldn’t have this with Lance before that time came and be pulled away from his life. Then.

 

Then he knew he couldn’t live with himself.

* * *

 

 

Lance felt a tingle in his lips and a hard clench to his heart when Keith talked about what he wanted to do with him.

 

He let out a tired breath, holding in the hurtful cough that was building up in his throat. “Keith...you know we can’t.”

 

“There has to be some way for us to meet...your mother, surely she goes out of the house..”

 

His mother did go out of the house. To do the groceries and to drive the little kids to school, but she was always aware, always on watch. Whenever she came back from her errands, she knew if Lance was up to something.

 

Once, Lance had made it out of the house. He had gotten as far as to the park down the street. With the help of his crutches, he was able to walk a distance until he broke down on the seesaw and heaved for air, desperately. His mother was driving by when she found her son sprawled out over the seesaw and cried her eyes out, almost screaming at him how scared she was seeing him like that. She was sure he had died right on the spot.

 

From that moment, he knew he could never scare his mother again, and she became more overprotective since that day. Going out rarer, and rarer for each day. Lance hated it, but he loved is mamá, and understood why she did what she did.

 

“I’m sorry Keith. Please don’t do anything to jeopardize this friendship. You’ve become an important person in my life, maybe the most important one...the one who deeply understands me. Unlike my mother...who I love, but she’s lost in her own world when it comes to me, thinking what she’s doing is the right thing. Just let her have it, if not, that might kill her too.”

 

“Lance! Please…”

 

“I’m sorry..talk to you tomorrow.”

 

“Wai-”

 

Lance ended the call and turned off his phone, sliding the lollipop drawer open to put the phone away. To put Keith away for the night.

 

“Trouble in paradise, baby bro?” He heard her voice from the door, frowning.

 

“You’re 8 minutes older than me, Rachel.”

 

“Still makes you the baby of the family..cept for the little kids.” She grinned softly at her brother from the door, peering in to see if she was interrupting anything.

 

Rachel carefully opened the door wider. Giving Lance an asking look for permission to come in. He nodded his consent.

 

She walked towards his bed, then furrowed her brows at him. “Why are you topless?” A lopsided grin traced her tan face. “Was it? Oh my god...I’m going to leave so that you two can continue…” It was obvious to see that she was building up a loud laugh in her throat, holding a hand up to her mouth.

 

His twin sister Rachel was the spitting image of Lance. Except for her long, thick, curly brown hair and brown eyes, but aside from those features, they were basically, well, twins.

 

She found out about him and Keith two days into their evening conversations, finding him standing by the window, a hand gripping the curtain to look at their neighbor’s house. Lance was almost frightened to death when Rachel pulled on his shoulder to ask who he was talking to. That was when Lance jumped, losing his phone on the floor and Rachel saw the name. So he told her everything.

 

“Har, har, har. No I hung up on him...he was being...difficult.” Lance grabbed his t-shirt and pulled it on.

 

“What kind of difficult?” Rachel asked calmly, sitting down at the edge of Lance’s bed.

 

Lance was stubborn. He didn’t want to share his relationship with Keith with anyone else, but his sisters were nosy pariahs and needed to know every single detail when they learned that Lance had finally made a friend.

 

“Lance..” Rachel then said with a strict voice, almost mimicking their mother.

 

He let out an exasperated breath, loosening his crossed arms. “Fine. Keith wants to see me...he’s breaking his effing promise..I told him not to, and now he’s not listening to me, so I hung up on him, and now I’m scared he’s going to barge in here and force our mother to let him see me and they’re going to start shouting at each other, and it’s going to be all my fault and I’ll lose Keith and..”

 

“LANCE!” Rachel shouted out loud for him to stop talking so much.  

 

They both heard a thunder of loud steps moving towards Lance’s room.

 

“What’s going on, is he okay, mi hijo, are you alright?” His mother rushed in on him, pulling him into her arms. She was crying, rocking him gently back and forth in her ams while saying soothing words. Lance wasn’t sure if they were for him or his mother.

 

“Mamá, I’m okay. I’m fine...Rachel was just snapping at me, like what regular siblings do.” Lance tried to calm her, patting her hand that was cupping his cheek.

 

He hated worrying their mother because she wounded up like this. Hurt. Scared. No, terrified. Sometimes he wondered how she’ll be once his final day arrives. “Mamá, I’m okay...please go back downstairs. I think I need to sleep a bit.” Lance tried to calm her down with an agile voice.

 

She kissed his head once more, whispering how much she loves him, then left the room with Rachel still inside.

 

“Do you want to see him?” Rachel asked.

 

“I’m not following..” Lance opened the drawer with the lollipops and stared at his phone. ‘Course he was following. And no doubt about it, even if it had only gone a week, Lance would do anything to see Keith before…

 

He lowered his head in defeat. ”Yeah.” He breathed out, still staring at the black mirror of his phone.

* * *

 

 

Two more weeks suddenly flew by. Keith had pressed and pressed every night on the phone with Lance to meet him. But Lance always blew off his proposal. Ideas on ideas overflowed from his mouth on how they could meet without getting caught, but Lance scoffed, coughed, wheezed, cried and laughed off every single one.

 

Keith wouldn’t give up. He had less than a month until Lance had to made a final decision, and no matter what decision he makes, he will see him and he will tell him all the things swirling in his head. All the things that made his heart beat like a roller coaster, that made the blood coursing through his veins red hot, the things that made him want to stand on top of the highest skyscraper and yell out to the world exactly what was going on in his mind.

 

Because. Well it was exactly what Lance had called him.

 

He was the Breaker of Promises.

 

And now he was going to break another one. But first, he needed a plan.

 

His plan making was interrupted when the doorbell decided to ring, and neither Shiro nor his mother were at home to get the door.

 

On the other side of the door he thought it was too good to be true. He thought Lance had pulled himself out of his bed, grabbed his crutches and pushed past his keeper of a mother. But then it sunk in. Long brown curly hair, brown eyes, not like likes Lance’s one bit. He started missing the ocean now.

 

"Is this a prank?" Keith scoffed, ready to close the door on the girl's face.

 

His mind was somewhere else. Heat raged in his gut thinking he'd finally see Lance and this girl who looks exactly likes him shows up on his front step.

 

Wait a minute. It had finally dawned on him who this girl was.

 

"Rachel?" He asked cautiously, holding his door slightly ajar.

 

Rachel nodded appreciatively, happy that Keith knew who she was. “I see Lance didn’t spare any details about our family. It’s nice to meet you, Keith.”

 

Keith held the door tighter with his hand and stared down at Rachel’s outstretched hand. Why was she here? Was she here just to gloat in front of Keith that she could leave the house and her dying brother couldn’t.

 

He blinked at her then proceeded to close the door on her face not having it. “Wait!”

 

Rachel’s hand found the door, stopping it from closing all the way. Her brown eyes glittered like she had a plan in the works, and suddenly Keith felt intrigued.

 

“Why are you here? Is Lance okay?” Keith asked, bringing the door back to its ajarness.

 

Her lips curled mischievously, one that looked identical to her twin brother. “Yes, he’s been doing better. I like to think it’s because of you. So, I wanted to help you two.”

 

The door flew all the way open. “Seriously? You have a way for me to see him?” Keith’s heart was thumping loudly, his body was shooting fireworks and his head was burning steam. He might get to see Lance.

 

He might get to see Lance!

 

Keith’s brows furrowed deeply. “What? What is it, don’t tell me you’re getting cold feet, I’ve been trying to find the perfect way to get mamá out of the house all week.” Rachel pushed, landing a hand on Keith’s shoulder, almost dragging him out of the house.

 

Keith _was_ getting cold feet, but they didn't feel cold. In fact, they were burning up, just like the rest of his body. He would finally get a chance, after three painstakingly long weeks of pining and agony and knowing how much Lance was hurting. Going through hours of talks on the phone, and watching movies together with a bad connection and their awful webcams through skype. After nagging and nagging on him to finally see him and hold him and witness that smile in real life.

 

“Is she gone now?” Keith asked, throat closing up.

 

Rachel grabbed his hand.

* * *

 

 

The house was quiet.

 

It has never been quiet before.

 

Lance grabbed his crutches to walk around and see where everyone was or went.

 

He looked into his sisters’ rooms, no one.

 

The little kids’ room, quiet.

 

His brother and his wife’s room, gone, without a trace.

 

His papá, nowhere to be found.

 

“Mamá!?” He shouted as loud as he could in the large Spanish villa.

 

It had to be a miracle. The one he didn’t ask for, but it was good enough. Because for the first time in two months, his mamá was out of the house.

 

Maybe he could become a breaker of promises, too.

 

The front door opened behind him _. So close_ , he thought. But, it wasn’t mamá who came through the door.

 

It was an angel.

* * *

 

 

Keith had lost the ability to breathe. There he stood. Leaning on crutches, legs long in light blue shorts and a white tank top. His skin golden, his face pristine and gorgeous, just like he was in the photo, and all the hundreds of photos after that.

 

Keith’s eyes landed first on the ocean. He could almost feel the summer breeze. Smell the salt in the air. _Finally._ He was finally here. Only a few yards to walk, but what felt like a distance across the world, he was finally in the same room as Lance, and oddly enough he thought about his big brother Shiro. How right he was because all of this had turned into a cliché.

 

For when Keith dove his own eyes from the ocean and down to Lance’s lips, he walked forward, and forward until Lance was finally in his arms, and his lips were pressed against his own.

 

In this very moment, having Lance’s lips to his, he knew he would do anything for him. If it were possible he would trade places with him in a heartbeat.

 

Lance went weak in his legs, losing the crutches to the floor and leaning on Keith’s shoulders instead. His hands went from his shoulders and immediately to his hair, gripping it in his hands, deepening their kiss. He opened his mouth and swallowed the loving whimper that escaped Keith. They both felt vulnerable, knowing this was only a temporary thing, but it had to last a lifetime.

 

Keith could feel Lance breaking their kiss, but he persisted. He leaned in further, holding him up with his arms, kissing him more passionately, more fervently with all the love he had been building up inside of him for this day to finally make its presence.

 

“Keith..” He heard Lance say muffled through their kiss. “I can’t breathe…”

 

He finally pulled back, and Lance took a long, hard heave of air. Then buckled over, falling on his knees.

 

“Lance!” Keith went down and pulled his crutches close to him, waiting for him to catch his breath and cough out his sickness. Keith noticed some blood on Lance’s hand after his cough.

 

“Rachel said you were getting better...this isn’t better, Lance. You’re bleeding. From your mouth!” Keith was ready to call an ambulance and force them to cure the boy he cared deeply for.

 

Lance smiled weakly, leaning back in close to Keith, catching his longer hair with his fingers. “You’re mullet.” He snickered. “I love it.” And he pulled Keith back to his lips, giving each other a chaste kiss, one of reassurance.

 

“It’s okay, happens sometimes. My doc says it’s not that harmful, just my insides telling me to countdown the days.” Lance released Keith and pulled himself up on his crutches.

 

Keith followed him up to his room, and helped Lance back into his bed. “Join me?” Lance pats the open space next to him on his bed, holding the cover up.

 

A certain emotion of shyness falls onto Keith, causing his cheeks to warm up and his ears to burn. Their little make out session was very in the moment, but this, this was all full of awareness.

 

“Come on, Mullet. My arm can only take so much before it breaks down.” At that, Keith climbs in.

 

Safe. Keith hopes that Lance feels safe, and protected having him here, in his bed, curled into his arms, his hand smoothing his soft brown hair. “How long will she be gone?” Keith asks, gripping Lance tighter.

 

Lance makes a hum. “Another hour. Ronnie’s looking at wedding dresses and Rachel convinced her to go with her and pick one. She promised to look after me. And I’ve been doing better the past week. No blackouts, I’m eating more, I don’t need my wheelchair.”

 

Perfect. This was all so perfect. Having Lance finally in his arms. Kissing the top of his head, feeling a sudden wave of protectiveness over him. “You have to take the operation. I won’t let you go, not now, not ever.” Keith demands, catching Lance’s tidal wave when he looks up at Keith.

 

He makes a loving smile and pulls Keith down to him, kissing him again, dipping his tongue in this time to truly taste him. And it goes on like that for a while longer. Keith had found himself on top of Lance, their shirts missing, their limbs entangled, eating up each other’s pants and whimpers of love.

 

Perfect. Keith found it all to be so perfect.

 

In his mind's eye, Lance was not going to die.

 

* * *

 

 

There was less than a week left.

 

Lance knew his mamá was going to force him to say no to the operation. To live his life to the fullest out the remaining year. Convince him that dying on the operating table will only give him this week left to live.

 

He was going to take the operation. Being in Ronnie’s wedding last weekend proved that. He saw all the love coursing between Ronnie and her new wife, Acxa. How far they were willing to go for each other.

 

In sickness and in health.

 

Well, this was in sickness, and he was going to become that fucking health. To be with Keith. To one day maybe have what his sister now has. That kind of love. A love that lasts more than a week, more than a year. A love that will last, and last, and last.

 

“Lance?” He heard his mother come into his room.

 

He had been staring at the drawer of lollipops that lured Keith to him. That helped the two of them find each other, become friends, then become boyfriends. No one else knew except for his sisters, and Sylvio. But, during the past weeks after him and Keith finally met face to face, they have been able to see each other more.

 

Keith had been the bolder of the two. Asking when they stood on Lance’s porch, staring out at the ocean in front of them, if he wanted to be Keith’s boyfriend.

 

Lance was a cryer, like Keith. And he cried a lot when Keith asked him that question, because it was a question that implied that he knew Lance would win this fight. That the operation will be a success, and they can continue to grow this fatuation they had for each other, this affection, this passion, this, dare he say it, this love.

 

“Si, mamá?” Lance closes the drawer, staring at his mother with wide eyes.

 

She looked normal. But he knew there was something more behind her oddly calm presence. “Mi hijo...please don’t. Don’t take the operation. You know the chances. You know what can happen.”

 

Lance looked down at his hands, they were fidgeting. “Mamá. I- I have decided.” He says, staring back at her catching a reflection of his own hues of blues in her irises.

 

“And?” She asks, walking closer to her son, cupping his cheek. It had gotten fuller these past weeks.

 

“I’m taking the operation. And I’m not sorry because I know I’ll come out alive.” Lance smiles his widest smile at his mamá, hoping she understands him.

 

“It’s that boy…He’s-He’s the one who has made you choose this. I knew it.”

 

“Wait...mamá! Where are you-” Lance reaches a hand out towards his storming mother, who was racing out of his room and thundering down the stairs, then at last, hears a loud slam of their front door.

 

She knew about him and Keith.

* * *

 

 

Keith was watching TV with Shiro, Adam and their mother in the living room. It was late and he knew Lance would be asleep by now so he decided not to bug him with any calls tonight. He knew the day of the decision was close and he didn’t want to become a nagging nuisance of a boyfriend. It was Lance’s decision to make, but he hoped he chose the one Keith wanted him to choose.

 

A loud pounding sounded on their front door. “I got it.” Krolia held a hand out as protection to her sons.

 

She opened the door and was met with a hurricane. “You tell that boy he has ruined everything for my family! For him!”

 

“Mrs. McClain! Please, calm down. Come in.” Krolia flashed a painful look at Keith.

 

She knew about him and Lance and supported them to the fullest. Shiro had high fived Keith hard on his hand, and Adam even shed a tear at the story that had been told. They all had talked with Lance through Skype and heard his whole story, and they wanted him in their lives too.

 

“That boy of yours, he’s done it. My….” Lance’s mamá was crying.

 

Krolia handed her a tissue to wipe her tears with. “Mi hijo, Lance. He’s...He is sick. It’s lethal and he doesn’t have long to live. His doctor, Doctor Kolivan, he said that he would only have until the end of the year to live. And the operation…” She was having a hard time forming words through choked gasps.

 

“Please, Mrs. McClain. Let me introduce myself properly. We still haven’t met. I’m Krolia Kogane. I work at the hospital Lance’s doctor works at. I wish I could have come by sooner to talk with you about our sons.”

 

“You knew!?” She screeched out, but Krolia soothed her to calm down, nodding.

 

Krolia urged her boys and Adam to go back into the living room, that she would deal with this, but Keith remained to listen in.

 

“I assure you. Keith only did what he thought his heart was telling him, and I think he has done a good job following it. It’s so easy to see how much he’s grown fond of your Lance, and how much this is killing him too to know that Lance can leave him.” Krolia moves to put on a cup of tea.

 

Lance’s mamá turns to stare at Keith. Keith makes a sad face, but starts to nod. “Your son means everything to me, Mrs. McClain. I want him to live as much as you do. But, I don’t think not giving him an option, when we know there is one, is a good a idea. If he takes the operation, we can have him for a long, long time..instead of waiting for him to die throughout the year..”

 

“But, the percentage of survival. He can die on the table in less than a week! I- My Lancey...he’s too faint hearted to survive it.”

 

“That’s where you’re wrong, Mrs. McClain. Lance is the strongest person I have come to know. If someone can survive such a low rate, it’s Lance. And it’s a risk I know he’s willing to take. Will you let him?” Keith walks into the kitchen, and places a hand on top of Lance’s mamá’s hand, his eyes dark but full of hope.

 

Krolia chimes in. “He’s right. Lance seems like the most liveliest of boys I’ve met, and that’s only through this webcam program..kids and their technology, it’s amazing. But, I want to let you know Mrs. McClain..”

 

“Please, Rosa.”

 

“Rosa.” Krolia smiles. “Kolivan is the best doctor in the whole hospital. Lance would be in good hands, even if the risk is high. But, if your son wants it, he should have it. Don’t you agree? It’s his life. Should be his decision to make. A willpower that strong. I guarantee he will have a 100% chance at surviving.”

 

Lance’s mother grabs Keith’s hand, and squeezes it. “Ay, querido. Thank you for loving my Lancey...I’m sorry for barging in like this, but I love my son so much, and I want him with me as long as possible. If he chooses to take the operation, I will not stop him.” Then she walks up, thanks Krolia for the tea, hugs Keith and tells him he can come over all he wants this week, Lance would love that.

 

Then she leaves, and Keith waits for the day Lance has to make a decision.

* * *

 

 

The waiting room smelled like disinfectant. Keith hated the smell of disinfectant, and he knew how much Lance hated it. Enough to say yes to an operation that can kill him today.

 

He was holding tight to a red heart shaped lollipop, whispering words of hope to whoever wanted to hear him.

 

_Please let him live, please let him live, please...someone listen to me and let him live._

 

Shiro, Adam and all of Lance’s family sat with Keith in the waiting room. He had been in the operating room for less than 3 hours. His mother had told the lot that the operation will take at least 6 to 7 hours if he makes it.

 

Kolivan had looked, well, Kolivan’s expressions were always hard to decipher, even when he was at their home and cosying up to his mother. But this expression, it was one of a future success. He seemed positive that the operation would go by smoothly. Lance had been much, much better since his last check up and his disease hadn’t done anything permanently harmful to his body since he was diagnosed. If all went well and according to plan, he would live a long and healthy life.

 

Keith caught Lance’s mother from across the room. She had been tearing up all day. From the morning when they woke Lance to get him ready, to the drive over to the hospital, and saying their final farewells in case the operation failed. Her face was tear streaked and red, but she forced a smile when Keith looked at her. He smiled back knowing exactly what went through her mind. _Survive. Live._ _We love you._

 

When the three hour mark hit, Krolia came out to the waiting room wearing a worried look. Lance’s mamá stood up. “He’s in critical condition, but he’s pulling through. We think he might make it, so don’t lose faith. We need to give it more time. But I just wanted to let you know..” She went back into the operating room.

 

Keith’s face becomes wet again. Losing Lance was becoming a reality. “I’m sorry.” He says out loud in the waiting room, and everyone turns to face him.

 

“Querido?” Lance’s mamá says, and the rest of his family makes worried looks at Keith.

 

“I’m sorry I fell in love with your son, Mrs. Mclain, Mr. McClain, Ronnie, Rachel, Luis...I - Had I not been so forward with him, have we not gotten in touch with each other, he might have had a whole year to live.” Keith was choking on his sobs, crying his eyes out at the thought that he could lose Lance any minute now. “I didn’t- I didn’t think, and now he can die.” Keith broke completely down, buckling over his knees, forcing out loud gasps and tears falling on the floor screaming how sorry he is.

 

He feels two arms wrap around his shoulders, and a head full of soft brown hair hit his head softly. “It’s okay, Keith. Shh, shh, shh. Thank you for loving my baby brother. Thank you…” Ronnie soothed him, and that was all she needed to say to calm him down.

 

What felt like an eternity, she finally came back out. Krolia was not a woman to mess around with, and her face said it all when she gave them the final news on Lance.

* * *

 

 

Tears.

 

So many tears.

 

An uncountable amount of more tears fell down the faces of everyone in the waiting room.

 

“When can we see him?” Mrs. McClain asks when she hugs Krolia after learning the news of the success of the operation.

 

“He’s stable right now, but he might not wake up until later. But you can go see him if you want to.” She smiles in Lance’s mother’s arms, giving Keith a warm, loving smile.

 

Keith stays put in his seat knowing that his family will be first to see him. He doesn’t mind, because he gets to have Lance a while longer. A whole lot while longer and it felt amazing, like he needed to find that tallest building in the world and scream his undying love for the boy next door.

 

“Keith?” He heard a voice, and caught Lance’s mamá calling for him.

 

“You go first. This is all because of you, thank you querido. We owe you our lives.” She kisses the top of his head when he moves in on her, hugging her, then walking along the hallway to find Lance’s room.

 

He opened the door slowly, careful not to wake him up, but he wanted nothing than to grab the boy sleeping soundly in the bed and kiss him all over, tell him how much he loves him and how much he looks forward to a future with him.

 

Keith finds the chair next to Lance’s bed, and sits down, grabbing his hand in his.

 

He feels new hot tears running down his cheeks, but this time, they're not tears of sadness or worry, or of sorrow. These were happy tears.

 

“Hey, Mullet.” He hears a croak beside him.

 

“Lance, hey..how you feeling, bud?” Keith rubs his hand.

 

Lance makes that wicked smirk, the one that stopped Keith’s heart the day he opened that photo he sent him. “Told you not to fall in love me.” He winked, causing a whole ocean to flood the room.

 

A new choked sob leaves Keith, but he’s laughing too. “That’s kind of impossible when it’s you, dummy.”

 

Tears are building in Lance’s blue eyes, his ocean overflowing. “I lived Keith. I lived, all because of you.” He blinks, and the tears stream down his golden face.

 

And at that, Keith breaks down completely, landing in Lance’s lap, crying and crying. “I love you, Lance. I love you, I love you, I -”

 

“I love you, too. Thank you, for believing in me, for taking a chance with the lollipops, not thinking I was a serial killer.” They both laugh, and Keith gets up to kiss Lance.

* * *

 

 

The quaint, salty breeze from the ocean flows calmly through their hair, through their skin, and lastly but most important of all, through their hearts.

 

Hand in hand they wandered the shoreline, sharing words of wisdom, cereals they’ve murdered, plans for the future.

 

Lance thought it felt good to be alive. But it felt even better to hold hands with Keith, his boyfriend. “How does it feel to be in the sun again?” He heard Keith ask him, basking in the rays of the warm sun above them.

 

He made a wide smile, then turned it into a smirk at Keith. “I’ve always had the sun around me, dummy.”

 

“Oh stop flirting, you goof. You know you’ve already snagged my heart.” Keith leans in for a brief, nice, chaste kiss.

 

They find a hill to sit on, staring out at the view of the blue, blue ocean and the orange hues of the dipping sun.

 

“It’s good to be alive.” Lance rests his head on Keith’s shoulder. “Thank you, Mullet.” He says, then hands Keith a red heart shaped lollipop.

 

“Are you proposing, Lance? We’re still in high school, you know that.” Keith jokes, but takes the lollipop, kissing Lance on the crown of his brunet head.

 

“Something like that, dummy. Let’s look at it as a promise.” Lance says, and Keith holds the lollipop out for the both of them to stare at. “One we don’t ever break.”

 

“Sounds doable, since I’m diabetic.” Keith snickers.

 

“And I hate hard candy, it’s a win-win situation. Unbreaker of Promises.”

 

They share more kisses as the sun sets to welcome them both a new day, and many more to come after that.

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
